1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a convertible motor vehicle roof with a main roof element and at least one other roof element which are movably joined to one another, and with a main bearing mechanism which pivotally mounts the main roof element on the body and transfers the main roof element together with the roof element coupled thereto into a stowed position in the opening process of the motor vehicle roof.
2. Field of the Invention
Published German Patent Application DE 196 42 152 discloses a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type in which the roof is divided into a front, a middle and a rear component piece which can be transferred from a common closed position which covers the motor vehicle interior into an open position as it is deposited in a rear-side box for the folding roof. The front and the middle component roof piece as well as the middle and rear component roof piece are joined to one another via a respective articulated joint. The rear component roof piece is supported to be able to pivot via a rod arrangement on the body. In the opening process, first the rear component roof piece together with the front and middle component roof piece is pivoted as a rigidly coupled unit around the body-side support counter to the direction of forward travel, the front component roof piece being raised comparatively high over the motor vehicle. Then, the front component roof piece is moved out of this pivot position to under the middle component roof piece and the two are shifted with a synchronous lowering motion to under the rear component roof piece. Finally, all three component roof pieces are inserted into the box for the folding roof in a pivoting-pushing motion.
German Patent DE 43 26 255 C1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,735 disclose a motor vehicle roof which has a B column laterally on each side, the B column being supported to pivot and move lengthwise in a body-mounted guide which runs roughly horizontally over the rear axle in the lengthwise direction of the motor vehicle. One roof part is pivotally mounted on the B-column and extends from the B-column forward in the direction toward the front window. To open and lower the motor vehicle roof, first the rear window is moved under the roof part and the two rear triangular windows are lowered. Then, the B-column is moved by means of a drive, as a unit together with the roof part and the rear window, to the rear lengthwise along the guide while maintaining its vertical position. In the rear position the roof part is folded down towards the B column and in the direction of a stowage space. To completely lower the roof into the stowage space behind the seats, the B-column is pivoted forward relative to the guide, the angular position of the roof part being adapted to the B-column and moved forward by a certain amount.
The primary object of the invention is to devise a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type which has at least two lowerable roof elements which can be transferred into the stowed position in an improved lowering motion.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in the aforementioned motor vehicle roof by the coupled roof element being moved via its connecting means, which is controlled by the main bearing mechanism, during the motion of the main roof element under or over the main roof element roughly parallel thereto when the main roof element, which is supported on the body, is pivoted by the main bearing mechanism. Since the roof element is moved over or under the main roof element during the pivoting motion of the main roof element, the height to which it is pivoted out is much less than in the initially named motor vehicle roof. Thus, the roof can also be opened when driving, the incident wind forces being greatly reduced.
The main bearing during the pivoting motion of the main roof element is preferably the main four-bar mechanism with which the main roof element can be easily guided in a parallel pivoting motion into the stowed position. Also, the connecting means between the main roof element and the other roof element is feasibly a four-bar mechanism which is connected to the main bearing means or the main four-bar mechanism in a connection which transfers motion. However, other types of joints and kinematic connections can be used to achieve the desired motions.
The four-bar mechanism is advantageously connected via a coupling rod to the elements which can be moved by the main four-bar mechanism.
The motor vehicle roof can in addition to the main roof element have two or three other roof elements which are supported to be able to move toward one another. Thus a larger motor vehicle roof can be divided into several smaller rigid roof elements which have better stowage behavior in a small stowage space.
The individual roof elements can be arranged differently. Thus, the main roof element can be located between the roof elements. On the other hand, the two roof elements can be located in the direction of travel in front of or behind the main roof element. During motion, for example, the front roof element can be displaced over the middle main roof element and the rear roof element can be displaced under the middle main roof element, in the same way as the front roof element can be displaced under the middle main roof element and the rear roof element can be displaced over the middle main roof element.
In various configurations, the two roof elements can be attached to the middle main roof element with identical or different connecting means and the connecting means can be designed for parallel pivoting, for translational displacement or for folding around a joint under or over the middle main roof element. Preferably, at least two roof elements are movably connected to the middle main roof element by means of the four-bar mechanism, slide guides, or pivoting joints or by combinations thereof.
One embodiment calls for there to be an additional roof element on the rear roof element which can be moved by means of an articulated connection, especially an additional four-bar mechanism, and which is dynamically coupled to the main bearing means or to the rear four-bar mechanism.
Furthermore, the motor vehicle roof can additionally have a rear section with a roof or roof column element which can be lowered via a rear mechanism and the main bearing means can be coupled via a coupling means to the rear mechanism. One such coupling can be effected mechanically, electrically or hydraulically. Preferably, the coupling takes place by a coupling rod which connects the main bearing means to the rear mechanism.
On the other hand, coupling can also take place electronically via a respective drive on the main bearing means and on the rear mechanism, or hydraulically via a common drive for the main bearing means and the rear mechanism.
In the following, embodiments of the motor vehicle roof are explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.